Device for the delivery or receipt of individual sheets

ABSTRACT

A device for the delivery or receipt of individual sheets ( 16 ), comprises a parallelepiped container ( 12 ), in which the individual sheets ( 16 ) are stored in the form of a sheet stack ( 14 ) and are pressed against the container wall parallel to a stack end face ( 56 ), by means of a platen device ( 58 ), which comprises a rectangular through opening ( 50 ) with first edges with a mutual separation at least the same as a first edge length of the individual sheets ( 16 ) and with second edges ( 52, 54 ), the mutual separation of which is smaller than the other edge length of the individual sheets, a sheet transport ( 36 ), operating in the through opening ( 50 ) and contacting with the stack end face ( 56 ) for transport of an individual sheet ( 16 ), parallel to the stack end face ( 56 ) and perpendicular to the second edges ( 52, 54 ), two transport rollers ( 22, 24 ) arranged with axes ( 26 ) parallel to the stack end face ( 56 ) and to the second edges ( 52, 54 ), forming a roller gap for gripping an individual sheet ( 16 ). One of said transport rollers ( 22, 24 ) is arranged close to one of the second edges ( 52, 54 ), such as to—viewed perpendicular to the stack end face ( 56 ) lie at least partly within the through opening ( 50 ). The invention further comprises a drive means ( 42, 30 ) for driving the sheet transport ( 36 ) and the transport rollers ( 22, 24 ).

[0001] The invention concerns a device for the delivery and/or receiptof individual sheets, especially bank notes.

[0002] Money dispensing automats are known in the case of which the banknotes are contained in collecting containers in the form of a bank notestack and are withdrawn through the help of a withdrawing andindividualizing mechanism. These withdrawing and individualizingmechanisms usually have a withdrawing roll which extends into an openingin a forward wall of the container parallel to the stack end face anddrives the upper most sheet of the stack into a roll gap formed betweena transport roll and a stripping roll. One such device, as for exampledescribed in DE 44 08 981, is suited however only for the removal ofindividual sheets from the container. An orderly transport and placementof sheets into the container is not possible with it.

[0003] On the other hand, for example from EP-A-333 102 a device isknown for the receiving and orderly depositing of individual sheets intoa container. In this case, the individual sheets coming from a transportpath with the help of a stacking mechanism are arranged on edge into astack on a stacking platform, which stack is then by means of a tampingdevice pushed through the input opening of an adjoining collectingcontainer, so that the individual sheets are deposited into thecontainer in the form of a sheet stack. For one thing the stacking andtamping device both in regard to the mechanical components as well as tothe space requirement is relatively expensive, and on the other hand itis not suited to again remove individual sheets from the same container.

[0004] The invention has as its object the provision of a device withthe help of which selectively individual sheets stored in a container inthe form of a sheet stack can be individually delivered or sheets can beindividually transported to the container to form a sheet stack in thecontainer.

[0005] This object is solved by the features presented in claim 1.

[0006] If in the solution of the invention the sheet pusher is actuated,it attempts to push in the plane of the sheet the individual sheet whichforms the stack end surface. Since the sheet however cannot move insideof the container, it is buckled and becomes curved with the formation ofa sheet bulge extending outwardly through the pass-through opening. Inthis way the sheet bulge comes into engagement with the transport rolllying adjacent to the stack end surface which transport roll then gripsthe sheet by friction and pulls the end of the sheet lying toward theshifting direction of the sheet shifter oppositely to the sheet shiftingdirection and from behind and away from the associated second edge. Thefreed sheet edge therefore because of the sheet tension and the effectof the transport roll moves into the roll gap so that it can be moved inconventional way away from the container by the two transport rollsacting in common.

[0007] Surprisingly it has been shown that in this way not only atrouble-free individualizing of the sheets is possible, but also that byreversing the drive direction of the drive means which drives thetransport rolls and the sheet shifter individual sheets can be driventhrough the transport rolls to the container and with the help of thesheet shifter can be inserted into the container with the sheet slidingalong the momentary stack end surface of the sheet stack standing in thecontainer. To simplify the secure and exact delivery of the individualsheets to the sheet shifter it is in this case practical if between thetransport rolls and the sheet shifter is arranged a sheet guide platewhich bridges the spacing between the roll gap and the contact surfaceof the sheet shifter at the stack end face.

[0008] Preferably the sheet shifter has at least one engagement elementeccentrically supported on an axis parallel to the stack end face. Thishas the advantage that the drive of the sheet shifter can be a rotarydrive which is more simple to realize than the drive for a back andforth moving element. One such eccentrically supported engagementelement can for example be made in the form of a segment roller whichduring its rotation comes into contact with the outer surface of thesheet only with the arcuate segment protruding part of its periphery.The axial spacing of the engagement element from the stack end face canbe so measured that by way of the engagement element a light pressure isexerted onto the stack end surface by way of which the individual sheetwhich forms the stack end surface is slightly lifted from thepass-through opening container walls so that it can be more easily bedrawn from behind the second edges or can be more easily be insertedbehind these edges.

[0009] Preferably the sheet shifter and the transport rolls togetherwith the drive means are arranged on a frame into which the container isslidable. In this way the container construction is simplified. Thecontainer requires only a closure flap which closes the pass-throughopening so long as the container is located outside of the frame, andwhich upon the insertion of the container is automatically opened as isalready known in regard to cassettes for money dispensing automats.

[0010] To simplify a secure slip free transport of the withdrawn sheets,it is practical if the transport rolls each have a plurality of coaxialrollers axially spaced from one another with the rollers of one rolllying in the axial direction between the rollers of the other roll.Thereby there exists, taking into consideration the axial direction, aslightly meander-shaped roll gap which ensures a secure gripping of therollers with the outer surface of the sheet.

[0011] Preferably the transport rolls are so arranged that the axes ofthe two transport rolls lie in a plane perpendicular to the stack endface and parallel to the second edges.

[0012] A modified exemplary embodiment of the solution of the inventionis described in claim 9. The withdrawal of individual sheets takes placeaccording to the same principle, with however, the movably supportedtransport roll in addition to its transport and withdrawal function alsotaking on the function of the sheet shifter. In this case the transportroll lies on the stack end face and is so driven that it buckles thesheet with the formation of a sheet bulge until the sheet lies on thecircumference of the transport roll. Then the transport roll is moved inthe direction toward the other transport roll to form the roll gap sothat the sheet becomes gripped by the two transport rolls and can betransported away from the container. The receipt of sheets again takesplace by the reversal of the rotational direction of the transportrolls, with here a corresponding guide plate being also advantageouslyprovided with the help of which the sheet just delivered by thetransport rolls is guided into the pass-through opening of thecontainer.

[0013] To undertake the adjustment of the transport roll at the righttime, the positioning mechanism is advantageously coupled with a sensorwhich detects the size of the sheet bulge formed by the shifting of thesheet perpendicularly to the second edges. One such sensor can forexample be a light cell whose light path is broken by the formation ofthe sheet bulge or otherwise by the leading end of a deliveredindividual sheet, to in this way effect the adjustment of the transportroll.

[0014] In an especially easy to realize embodiment the adjustabletransport roll is supported on an end of a pivotable lever which ispivotable by a positioning magnet.

[0015] Further features and advantages of the invention will be apparentfrom the following description which in combination with theaccompanying drawings explains the invention by way exemplaryembodiments. The drawings are:

[0016]FIG. 1 A schematic perspective partial view of the withdrawal andtransport mechanism and of the end of the container facing it,

[0017]FIGS. 2 & 3 schematic side views of the arrangement illustrated inFIG. 1 during the withdrawal of an individual sheet, and

[0018]FIG. 4. a schematic side view of the transport and withdrawalmechanism according to a second embodiment of the invention during thewithdrawal of an individual sheet from a container.

[0019] In FIG. 1 a slide-in frame is indicated at 10, which frame is fora parallelepiped container 12 serving to receive a stack 14 (FIG. 2) ofindividual sheets 16. The frame 10 is part of a device for the deliveryor receipt of individual sheets, especially bank notes. Of the frame 10only one side wall 18 is to be seen, which through a slide in bottom 20is connected with a second non-illustrated side wall parallel to theside wall 18.

[0020] Between the two side walls 18 of the frame 10 extend twotransport rolls 22, 24 each of which consists of a shaft 26 supported inthe side walls 18 and rollers 28 arranged thereon. The rollers 28 oneach shaft 26 have an axial spacing from one another, with the rollers28 of the transport roll 22 with respect to the rollers 28 of thetransport roll 24 being so axially displaced that the transport rollers28 of one roll are received between the rollers 28 of the othertransport roll.

[0021] The shaft 26 of the transport roll 24 is driven by a motor 30 andin turn drives the transport roll 22 by means of a gear 32 and a gear 34non-rotably connected with the shaft 26 of the transport roll 22.

[0022] Below the transport rolls 22 and 24 is arranged a sheet pusher inthe form of a segment roll 36, which has a shaft 38 parallel to theshafts 26 of the transport rolls 22 and 24 and has arranged on it aplurality of segment rollers 40. The shaft 38 of the segment roll 36 iscoupled with a motor 42. It can however, also be coupled through asuitable drive with the drive motor 30 for the transport rolls 22, 24.

[0023] The transport rolls 22, 24 arranged below the slide in bottom 20are identical to the upper transport rolls 22, 24 and belong to afurther sheet storage unit.

[0024] The container 12 has a bottom 44, a cover 46 and side walls 48,and at its end facing the transport mechanism 22, 24 a pass-throughopening 50. The measurement of the opening 50 parallel to the directionof the shafts 26 is equal to the spacing of the side walls 48. On theother hand, from the bottom 44 and the cover 46 there extends from eachan edge flange 52 and 54, upwardly and downwardly respectively, so thatthe measurement of the opening 50 perpendicular to the bottom 44 issmaller than the distance between the bottom 44 and the cover 46 of thecontainer. These edge flanges 52 and 54 therefore hold back the sheetstack 14 in the container 12, with the sheet stack 14 being pressed withits stack end surface 56 by a schematically illustrated pressing device58 against the edge flanges 52 and 54. A flap for closing thepass-through opening is just as little illustrated as is the rearwardend of the container 12 since these parts have no significance in regardto the present invention.

[0025] The way in which the withdrawing of individual sheets from thecontainer 14 takes place is that the segment roll 36 in FIG. 2 isrotated in the counterclockwise direction, as indicated in FIG. 2 by thearrow A. The segment rollers 40 are so shaped and proportioned, thatthey with their arcuately shaped circumferential sections 60 extend intothe opening 50 and exert a given pressure onto the stack 14 against theeffect of the pressing device 58. With its rotational movement, thesegment roll 36 shifts the individual sheet 16 forming the end surface56 of the stack in the direction toward the cover 46. Since the sheet atthis point cannot move to a new position, it is buckled and forms asheet bulge 62 which approaches the transport roll 22. The transportrolls 22 and 24 are driven oppositely in the directions indicated by thearrows B. When the bulge 62 of the individual sheet 16 engages thetransport roll 22 the individual sheet 16 is taken along by thetransport roll 22 so that the end of the individual sheet 16 near thecover 46 is pulled away from its position behind the edge flange 44.Because of its sheet tension, the individual sheet remains lying on theouter surface of the roll 22. The now free end of the sheet is takenalong by the transport roll 22 until the sheet turns and the free sheetend reaches the roll gap between the transport rolls 22 and 24. Thesetransport rolls can now grip the sheet and transport it further, as isillustrated in FIG. 3. This process is further supported by a guideplate 64 which bridges the intervening space between the transport rolls22, 24 and the segment roll 36, with the guide plate 64 however notbeing entirely necessary for the withdrawal process.

[0026] For the delivery of individual sheets to the container 12 therotational drive 30 for the transport rolls 22, 24 and the rotationaldrive 42 for the segment roll 36 are reversed. The individual sheet isdrawn in by the transport rolls 22, 24 and along the guide plate 64 andis pushed into the gap between the segment roll 36 and the stack endsurface 56. Before a sheet can be pushed into the container 12 thepressing device 58 is moved slightly backwardly (that is toward theright in FIGS. 2 and 3) by a drive motor 56, whose output pinion 56meshes with a rack 59, so that the stack end surface 56 lies onlyloosely against the edge flanges 52 and 54. Then the sheet can withoutproblem be pushed behind the lower edge flange 52. Upon further rotationof the transport rolls oppositely to the direction of the arrows B thesheet again forms a bulge before its trailing edge changes its directiontoward the stack end surface 56 and slides behind the upper flange 54.After the delivery of the last individual sheet the pressing force ofthe pressing device 56 is again increased. If the transport roll 22 iscomprised of individual axially spaced rollers the delivery of sheetsinto the container 12 can further be eased if the upper edge flange 54is formed as a comb and extends with its comb teeth between the rollers.Also, the outer surface of the rollers of the transport roll 22 can beprovided with small radial teeth, which improves their sheet takingalong effect.

[0027] It will be understood that the withdrawal and individualizingdevice is extremely simple in its construction and by a simple reversalof rotational direction can be used both for the withdrawal as well asfor the delivery of individual sheets, with the individual sheets upondelivery to the container also being orderly deposited in stackedcondition.

[0028] In the exemplary embodiment illustrated schematically in FIG. 4similar parts are again provided with similar reference characters. Thisembodiment differs from the embodiment according to FIGS. 1-3 in that nosegment roll is provided. Moreover, the transport roll 22 is also usedas the shifting element. In this case the transport roll 22 is supportedon a pivotal lever 66, which in turn is supported on the frame formovement about an axis 68, and by a positioning magnet 70, adjustablybetween a position in which the transport roll 22 lies against the endsurface 56 of the stack and a position in which it cooperates with thetransport roll 24 for transport of the individual sheet 16. If thepositioning magnet 70 is unenergized, the pivotal lever 66 is pulled bya spring 72 toward the right in FIG. 4, so that the transport roll 22lies against the end surface 56 of the stack. If the transport roll 22in this condition is driven in the clockwise direction (arrow C) theindividual sheet forming the end surface 56 of the stack is buckled sothat it again forms a bulge 62, which then lies against thecircumference of the transport roll 22, as it is illustrated in FIG. 4.When the bulge 62 has reached a given size it extends into the lightpath of a light cell 74. The response of the light cell 74 is such thatthe positioning magnet 70 then pivots the pivotal lever 66 in FIG. 4toward the left, so that the transport roll 22 cooperates with thetransport roll 24 for a transport of the individual sheet. The sheetthen lying on the circumference of the transport roll 22 is then in thesame way as has been explained in connection with FIGS. 2 and 3 guidedinto the roll gap between the transport rolls 22, 24 and iswithdrawingly transported away by those transport rolls.

[0029] The delivery of individual sheets occurs in almost the same wayas has been explained in connection with FIGS. 2 and 3, with the leadingedge of the individual sheet being guided into the container 12 by acurved guide plate 76 which is an extension of the edge flange 52. Therotation of the transport roll 22 in the counterclockwise sense effectsthe reversal of the end of the individual sheet so that it comes to lieson the end surface 56 of the stack and then upon still furtherrotational movement of the transport roll, which in the mean time hasbeen moved by the spring 72 in the direction toward the end surface 56of the stack, it is pushed behind the edge flange 54, with also in thisexemplary embodiment the pressing device being so adjusted as has beendescribed above.

[0030] Reference Number List

[0031]10. Slide in frame

[0032]12. Container

[0033]14. Stack

[0034]16. Individual sheet

[0035]18. Side wall

[0036]20. Slide in bottom

[0037]22. Transport roll

[0038]24. Transport roll

[0039]26. Shaft

[0040]28. Roller

[0041]30. Motor

[0042]32. Gear

[0043]34. Gear

[0044]36. Segment roll

[0045]38. Shaft

[0046]40. Segment roller

[0047]42. Motor

[0048]44. Bottom

[0049]46. Cover

[0050]48. Side wall

[0051]50. Pass-through opening

[0052]52. Edge flange

[0053]54. Edge flange

[0054]56. Stack end surface

[0055]58. Pressing device

[0056]60. Circumferential section

[0057]62. Sheet bulge

[0058]64. Guide plate

[0059]66. Pivotal lever

[0060]68. Axis

[0061]70. Positioning magnet

[0062]72. Spring

[0063]74. Light cell

1. A device for the delivery and/or receipt of individual sheets (16),especially banknotes, including a parallelepiped container (12) in whichthe individual sheets (16) are stored in the form of a sheet stack (14)and by means of a pressing device (58) are pressed against a containerwall parallel to one end face (56) of the stack, which container wallhas a rectangular pass-through opening (50) with first opposite edgeswhose spacing from one another is equal to a first edge length of theindividual sheets (16) and having second opposite edges (52, 54) whosespacing from one another is smaller than the other edge length of theindividual sheets (16), a sheet pusher designed to extend into thepass-through opening (50) and to lie onto the end surface (56) of thestack for pushing an individual sheet (16) parallel to the stack endsurface (56) and perpendicularly to the second edges (52, 54), twotransport rolls (22, 24) with axes (26) arranged parallel to the stackend surface (56) and to the second edges (52, 54) and which form a rollgap for gripping an individual sheet (16), with one of the transportrolls (22, 24) being so arranged near one of the second edges (52, 54)that it—as considered perpendicularly to the stack end surface (56)—liesat least partially inside of the pass-through opening (50), and drivemeans (42, 30) for driving the sheet pusher (36) and the transport rolls(22, 24).
 2. A device according to claim 1, further characterized inthat the drive means (30, 42) are reversible in regard to their drivedirection.
 3. A device according to claim 1 or 2, further characterizedin that between the transport rolls (22, 24) and the sheet pusher (36) asheet guide plate (64) is arranged which bridges the spacing between theroll gap and the contact surface of the sheet pusher (36) at the stackend surface (56).
 4. A device according to one of the claims 1 to 3,further characterized in that the sheet pusher (36) has at least oneengagement element (40) eccentrically supported on an axis (38) parallelto the stack end face (56).
 5. A device according to claim 4, furthercharacterized in that the engagement element is a segment roller (40).6. A device according to one of claims 1 to 5, further characterized inthat the sheet pusher (36) and the transport rolls (22, 24) togetherwith the drive means (30, 42) are arranged on a frame (10) into whichthe container (12) is slidably insertable.
 7. A device according to oneof claims 1 to 6, further characterized in that the transport rolls (22,24) each have a plurality of coaxial rollers (28) axially spaced fromone another, with the rollers (28) of one roll in the axial directionlying between the rollers (28) of the other roll.
 8. A device accordingto one of claims 1 to 7, further characterized in that the axes of thetwo transport rolls (22, 24) lie in a plane perpendicular to the stackend face (56) and parallel to the second edges (52, 54).
 9. A deviceaccording to claim 7 or 8, further characterized in that the second edge(54) near one of the transport rolls (22, 24) is formed as a comb, andwith its comb teeth extends into the spaces between the rollers (28).10. A device for the delivery and/or receipt of individual sheets (16),especially bank notes, including a parallelepiped container (12) inwhich the individual sheets (16) are stored in the form of a sheet stack(14) and by means of a pressing device (58) are pressed against acontainer wall parallel to one stack end face (56), which container wallhas a rectangular pass-through opening (50) with first opposite edgesthe spacing of which to one another is at least equal a first edgelength of the individual sheets (16), and with second opposite edges(52, 54) the spacing of which to one another is smaller than the otheredge length of the individual sheets, and two transport rolls (22, 24)drivable by drive means, which transport rolls are arranged with axes(26) directed parallel to the stack end face (56) and to the secondedges (52, 54) and form a roll gap for grasping an individual sheet,with one of the transport rolls (22, 24) by means of a positioningdevice (70) being adjustable perpendicularly to its axis between a firstposition at which it forms the roll gap with the other transport roll(24) and a second position at which it lies against the stack end face(56), and with the positioning devices (70) being reversible independence on the shifting of the individual sheet (16) to be withdrawn.11. A device according to claim 10, further characterized in that thepositioning device (70) is coupled with a sensor (74) which detects thesize of the sheet bulge (62) formed by the shifting of the sheet (16)perpendicularly to the second edges (52, 54).
 12. A device according toclaim 11, further characterized in that the sensor is a light cell (74).13. A device according to one of claims 10 to 12, further characterizedin that the adjustable transport roll (22) is supported on a pivotallever (66) which is pivotal by means of a positioning magnet (70).
 14. Adevice according to one claims 10 to 13 further characterized in thatthe drive means for the transport rolls (22, 24) are reversible inrespect to their drive direction.
 15. A device according to one ofclaims 10 to 14, further characterized in that between the transportrolls (22, 24) and the stack end face (56) is provided a sheet guideplate (76).
 16. A device according to one of claims 1 to 15, furthercharacterized in that the pressing device (56) is adjustable by means ofa drive (55, 57, 59).